North Yorkshire councillor Kevin Foster has resigned his membership of the Green Party, saying it no longer offers the priorities that attracted him when he joined.
Foster, who represents Hipswell and Colburn on North Yorkshire Council, has confirmed that he will continue to serve as an independent councillor following his departure from the party.
In a public statement announcing his decision, Foster explained that the party had moved in a different direction from the one he had hoped for, but stressed that his commitment to the residents he represents remained unchanged.
Cllr Kevin Foster, independent councillor for Hipswell and Colburn:
Thank you all. Today, I have announced that I have left the Green Party. I am now an independent councillor for Hipswell and Colburn. The reason I left is that the party has gone in a different direction from what I had hoped. The party no longer offers the priorities it did when I joined a few years ago.
Foster went on to reaffirm his commitment to the local community, saying his departure from the party would not affect his work on behalf of residents.
Cllr Kevin Foster, independent councillor for Hipswell and Colburn:
I am still here for Colburn, and I still have your support. That has not changed; I have given my commitment to the party. So I will continue to fight for you.
He also thanked the volunteers and others who had supported his work during his time with the Green Party.
Cllr Kevin Foster, independent councillor for Hipswell and Colburn: I must thank all the volunteers and everyone I have met over the years in the Green Party who helped us improve things for Hipswell and Colburn. Thank you.
Lib Dems respond to departure
The Liberal Democrat group on North Yorkshire Council has responded to Foster’s resignation, linking the announcement to the Green Party’s recent conference motion on Zionism.
The motion, passed at the Green Party conference on Sunday, has prompted political debate. In their statement, the Liberal Democrats said it had caused concern among Jewish residents and invited Green Party members and supporters who felt the party no longer represented their values to consider joining the Lib Dems.
Cllr Peter Lacey, leader of the Liberal Democrats on North Yorkshire Council, said he respected Foster’s decision but would not speculate about his reasons for leaving.
Cllr Peter Lacey, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on North Yorkshire Council:
Leaving a party is never a small decision, and I respect that Cllr Foster has made his own choice in his own way. I won’t speak for him or guess at his reasons. What I will say is that I’m ready to work with him, as with any councillor, on the things that matter to North Yorkshire residents.
Lacey said the conference motion had left many Jewish residents feeling anxious and unheard, adding that every community should feel respected and represented in public life.
He also invited Green Party members who were reconsidering their political allegiance to join the Liberal Democrats, highlighting his party’s stated commitments to climate action, opposing prejudice and supporting local communities.
Foster’s stated reasons
In his public statement, Foster described his departure in terms of a change in the Green Party’s direction and priorities. He did not explicitly mention the conference motion on Zionism.
The Liberal Democrats have placed his resignation in the context of the conference controversy, while Lacey has expressly said he would not speculate about Foster’s reasons.
Foster’s own explanation centres on his view that the party no longer reflects the priorities that led him to join. He has also made clear that he intends to continue representing Hipswell and Colburn as an independent councillor.
The Green Party’s announcement about its conference policy can be read on the party’s website: Green Party adopts anti-Zionist policy.
What is Zionism and what does anti-Zionism mean?
Zionism is a political and national movement supporting the Jewish people’s right to self-determination in their historic homeland. It is associated with the establishment and continued existence of Israel as a Jewish state.
Anti-Zionism describes opposition to Zionism, but the term covers a range of political positions. Some oppose the concept of a state organised around a particular national or religious identity, while others oppose Israel’s existence as a specifically Jewish state.
Criticism of the Israeli government, opposition to its policies and support for Palestinian rights are not inherently antisemitic. However, anti-Zionist arguments can cross into antisemitism when they involve hostility towards Jewish people because they are Jewish, antisemitic stereotypes or discriminatory treatment.
The distinction is contested. Some argue that denying Jewish people the right to national self-determination, while accepting that right for other peoples, is discriminatory. Others argue that opposing a state based on a particular national identity can be a legitimate political position, provided equal rights are protected.
The debate surrounding the Green Party’s conference motion therefore raises questions about the meaning of Zionism, Jewish self-determination, Palestinian rights and the distinction between opposition to a political ideology and prejudice against Jewish people.